Fieldtrip Farce
by Winfan2
Summary: A story of Sammy. In his attempt to stay in town long enough for his fieldtrip Sam unknownly creates his first hunt, one that gives him much more trouble than he bargained for.


A first time for everything

Challenge  
Write a supernatural Fanfic about the first time your choice of Winchester brother went his first hunt. Was it everything he thought it would be

Another challenge I wrote for…for all you Sammy lovers and Happy Halloween!

**Fieldtrip Farce**

"That's the end of the discussion Sam now you can either eat your dinner or go upstairs," John said staring down at his hamburger and macaroni and cheese.

Sam huffed and decided the latter would be his choice. He pushed himself away from the table and made a point to stomp on each and every one of the stairs as he made his way up the creeky steps of the townhouse they were renting.

"I don't know what more he wants I signed the permission slip," John told Dean who was being uncharacteristically quiet.

"I guess he wants you to promise that we'll be here so he can go," Dean suggested.

"I can't do that and you both know it. Look I do the best I can but the hunt dictates our schedule not me."

"I know, but he really, really wants to go to the Science Center," Dean said playing around with his food.

"I know son," John sighed as the door upstairs slammed shut.

"So did your dad sign your slip?" Chris asked Sam the next day in class.

"Yeah he did," Sam answered trying his best to make his smile genuine.

The two twelve year olds had bonded instantly both being very bright, loved learning and had far from ideal home lives. The last was something they could just tell about each other especially when they partnered for a project and neither wanted to take the other one home making up one excuse after the other. Even if John wasn't around he didn't really like other kids over concerned they might stumble on something that wasn't for them to see such as the weapons John left behind for the boys to protect themselves. Besides he always wanted the boys focused and ready not distracted by what other kids might bring. He knew it was a losing battle especially with Dean and his growing libido but he still put out the order before he left for each hunt; no kids in the house. Plus for Sam he didn't want to be teased by his big brother who always seemed to pick him apart by the choices he made. His friends were too geeky, too short, too brainy you name it they were too something and simply not cool enough.

Chris got along just fine with his sister but there was trouble in the parental department though he wouldn't come off with just what it was. It made Sam feel sorry for him and made it all the more curious when Chris did finally invite him over one afternoon. The boys chattered nonstop as they approached the front door not even noticing the shadowy figure until it jumped out at them. "Boo," Chris' father yelled.

"Jeez Dad that wasn't nice," Chris said as his father dissolved into laughter. "Why are you home, it's not even four o'clock yet?"

"Took the afternoon off, if it is any of your business," the man said lifting the beer bottle to his lips.

"Well Sam and I are going to my room to study," Chris said hauling his buddy down the hall.

"You trying to avoid me, you didn't even introduce me to your friend," he shouted out.

Chris stopped in his tracks causing Sam to bump into him. "This is Sam, Sam this is my dad," he mumbled.

"Ain't you the anti-social one, nice to meet ya there Sam, I'm David. Can I get you anything cold to drink?"

"No sir, I'm fine," Sam said quietly as he smelled the alcohol on the man's breath.

"Hmmm bunch of live wires here. You know Sam this house used to be a bar, the oldest bar in the state before they turned it into a house and now I can't get nobody to drink while they're here."

Chris had gone back into motion and Sam followed. "I was just offering soda fellas, sheesh."

"Sorry," Chris mumbled. "He does this sometimes, he didn't used to but…work got slow and I think the move stressed him out."

"Why do you say that?" Sam asked.

"Cause he never did this before."

"He said this house used to be a bar."

"Yeah, I guess they tried sell as is but it was too rundown so a contractor came in and made into what you see before you," Chris said throwing his arms out.

"It seems nice," Sam commented shrugging his shoulders. He would take it any day over all the seedy motels and shabby apartments he had lived in.

The boys had a great study session. Sam met Chris's mother, Lauren who seemed nice but a bit distant. She casually invited him to dinner but Sam thought it best to get back home before John came looking for him.

"And did you manage to cram more information into that geeky brain of yours?" Dean teased as Sam clomped up the front steps.

"Shut-up Dean, is Dad home?"

"No, he's at the library but he is bringing dinner back with him, why?"

"Cause I want to talk to him, that's why," Sam snapped.

"He's got a big hunt coming up and I think I'll be helping him," Dean bragged.

"If you help him what will happen with me?"

"Probably be shipped off to Pastor Jim's," Dean said as he walked into the kitchen and began to rummage through the refrigerator.

"But my field trip," he whined.

"Too bad, so sad, says Dad," Dean said pulling a hotdog from the top shelf. He just couldn't understand the big deal, hunt evil or go to some stupid science center the choice seemed obvious to him.

Later that night after John had come home and dinner had been eaten, Sam dragged his backpack up the stairs behind him dreading the words he was sure to hear. "I'm sorry Sam but you know how it is." Yeah he knew cause it happened to him all the time, he never got to enjoy anything, ever and the more it happened the more he held John accountable for it. He just wish they could stay for a little bit longer, he would never have a chance to get to this science center again, it would be just too unfair to miss it. Maybe he could find a way to get John to stay, but he had no idea how.

John had put the food out on the table just as Sam returned downstairs. John was somewhat surprised the boy returned after hearing the bad news of their impending departure.

"So when do we leave?" Sam asked looking at his plate as he spoke.

"Don't know yet," John said his mouth full. "Look I know you think I don't care about your field trip but I do. I will try and keep us here as long as I can."

"But it's not looking good is it?" Sam asked glumly.

"Not really," John admitted.

A few days managed to sneak by and Sam dared to hope that he might have success. He and Chris sat at the library checking out facts for their project when Sam found something interesting.

"Hey isn't this where your house is?" he asked of the picture in the old newspaper on microfiche

machine.

"Yeah it is, back when it was a bar," Chris said moving his chair over. "What does it say?"

Sam scrunched up his face and peered more closely at the screen. "It says that there was a murder there."

"No way, really?"

"Yeah it says that one patron killed another in a fight using a broken bottle; got him in the jugular and he bled to death right on the floor."

"Yuck, I wonder what room that would be in the house?"

"Were you the first ones to live in it when it became a house?" Sam asked.

"Um no, there was a couple that lived there first but it was like only for a year I think. I'm not sure why they didn't stay. Maybe they just rented or something."

"Yeah that's probably it," Sam agreed. But his newfound hunter instincts were kicking in and maybe with hope beyond hope there was something here that could detain John for another week and ensure that he could go on his field trip. "Here why don't you check this stuff our while I go look for more info on our assignment," Sam said as he hit the print button for the article he had just found.

He went and picked it up at the printout and then went and sat down at another machine out of Chris' sight. He quickly began scanning the papers looking for anything else that happened at the bar. He was nearly cross eyed when the man next to him got up from the computer. Sam had noticed he had been on the world wide web and though Sam hadn't had much experience with this new research tool he figured it had to be better than what he was doing. He moved over and began his search. He had no idea how much time had passed until Chris came up tapping him on the shoulder saying he had to go home and was already late. Sam looked up at the clock and realized that more than likely John would be out looking for him if he didn't get going and that was never a good thing.

He began to walk quickly marveling in amazement at the effectiveness of the internet. In no time at all he had found what would have taken him much longer doing the old fashioned way. He would definitely have to introduce his dad to this. The sun was quickly disappearing from view and Sam began to jog. He was at least an hour late and John never took kindly to either of the boys being tardy. It was okay that John got home when he got home but it was far from okay for the boys to be late. His only hope was that John was out and he could beat him home.

"And what took you so long? I was about to come looking for you," John said as soon as Sam walked in the door.

"Sorry, I got wrapped up in my school research plus I found out some stuff," Sam said whipping his backpack around.

"What stuff?" John asked.

Sam excitedly launched into Chris' house and its history along with the incredible internet.

"Wow, you'll have show that me that when we have a chance."

"Don't tell me we're leaving," Sam asked crestfallen.

"I don't have the exact time yet, but be prepared to go in the next couple of days.

Sam looked like he was going to cry as he grabbed the papers he had showed John along with his backpack and stormed out of the room.

"I'm sorry Sam but you need to watch that attitude, I am not going to put up with it!" John's voice followed his son.

Sam slammed himself down on the bed. Somehow he was going to have to create a fake hunt or find a real one just to buy a little bit of time. It was only a few more days until the field trip.

Sam was up and out the door before John could say anything to him the next morning and he was sure that was by design. He knew how much this field trip meant to the boy, but when lives were on the line he just couldn't put Sam's interests first. As the boy grew so did his attitude and defiance, not that he hadn't gone through some of it with Dean but this was different. Dean rebelled just to rebel not against their lifestyle or anything specific. But Sam was most definitely a different boy and one who was going to put John through the paces.

Sam was trying to look as if he was paying attention while he tried to focus on staying in town. Maybe John would just leave him with Chris and his family, but somehow he doubted John would and he doubted Chris' dad would go for it either. He was only two days away, he just couldn't leave now. After school Sam raced back to the library to see what he could concoct in the way of a plan.

Sam took a chance and stopped by Chris' house on the way home hoping he was home. His father answered the door acting and smelling intoxicated, as disappointed as Sam was to see this it also played into his hand.

"Hi, is Chris home?" Sam asked politely.

The man just turned and screamed, "Chris!"

Sam just stood and smiled as Chris finally came into view looking embarrassed. "Dad I'm going to take a walk with Sam."

"Sure whatever, but don't be late for dinner cause I don't work my ass off to provide for you not to eat," he slurred.

"Sorry," Chris apologized.

"It's okay, believe me you are going to want to hear what I have to say," Sam said pulling his papers out of his book bag. I've been doing research on your house and you are not going to believe it. I think it may even answer some questions about your dad."

"What about my dad?"

"You know why…like his drinking and stuff," Sam answered somewhat awkwardly.

Chris remained quiet unsure what to say.

"Look you already know your house was a bar and you know about the murder."

"Right, the bottle and jugular and death, what about it?"

"Well the family that lived there after you were only there for nine months. Do you want to know why it was so short?"

"Okay why?" Chris asked sighing in exasperation.

"Because they died," Sam said his eyes wide.

"How?" Chris asked his eyes now wide.

"According to the articles that were in the paper the couple moved in and seemed really nice, great neighbors one woman said. But then they started to argue all the time and the man, umm, Alan Corbin had been arrested more than once for domestic battery. It had never happened until they moved into that house. Things just kept getting worse, until…"

"Until what?" Chris asked breathlessly.

"One night the theory is that Alan was beating up his wife, Margy when she had enough and found their gun and shot him…guess where."

"Just tell me," Chris yelled not in the mood for games.

"In the neck, she hit him in the jugular and he bled to death."

"No way," he gasped.

"Yep, and it gets better Margie was distraught over what happened so she picked up some glass that had been broken during their fight and used it to slit her wrists. By the time the police showed up they were both dead, bled dry," Sam embellished a bit.

"Wow."

"Don't you get it Chris, they were a happy normal couple until they moved into the house. He began drinking and getting violent and they died just like the guy did when it was still a bar. Now I don't know about your dad, but what if…"

"What if what Sam, he drinks a little too much sometimes no big deal, he doesn't get violent," Chris said defensively.

Sam was a little surprised by his friend's reaction. "Well I'm not accusing I'm just showing you the history, it's a little freaky don't you think?"

"Sure for them, but leave me and my family out of it Sam."

"Look I know this sounds all weird but that is what my family does and I'm afraid there might be something lurking in your house," Sam said.

"I'm lost Sam what are you trying to say?"

So Sam in the desperation of his situation revealed all to his new friend including the big reason why he wanted to create a hunt to buy a few more days. Chris was attentive throughout the whole story but when Sam finished he walked a few steps away.

"I'm sorry Sam I really want to help you but we aren't some kind of science experiment for you and your family. I want you to come on the field trip I really do but I'm sorry you need to stay away and just put this crap out of your head."

"But Chris just look at your family, what you told me the other day. Your dad is drinking more than ever, your mother is despondent your sister just sits in her room. Nothing is the same lately, you can't count this out."

"Well I am, just leave me alone Sam," Chris said as he walked away.

Sam was completely deflated and in a foul mood by the time he got home.

"You're late again," John grumbled loudly.

"So what," Sam snapped back leaving his father momentarily stunned.

"Do you want to try that again," John asked stepping closer to his youngest.

"Look I had a bad day and I'm sure you don't have any good news for me."

"I suppose not, I need to finish up something tomorrow and then we leave. Look Sam I'm sorry about your trip, I really am. But you have to put the importance of people's lives above your desires."

"Don't I always," Sam mumbled.

"Go to your room right now," John said pointing to the stairs the vein in his forehead beginning to pulsate.

Nothing was working for the boy that day. His friend clutched at denial instead of being helpful and the last 24 hours he needed just slipped from his grasp. John wasn't pleased and Dean wasn't around to help at all. He would just have to do it on his own, he hadn't come this far to give up now. He lay in bed thinking of how he alienated the one friend he had an all for what a trip to a science center. Now Chris hated him and he had no chance at the field trip anyway. God why did his life suck so much?

After a restless night Sam tried to make an early getaway but John caught up to him before he left that morning. "I want you home right after school," he grumbled his voice raspy from just getting up.

Sam merely nodded.

"I mean it Sam don't cross me on this, we leave as soon as you get home."

"Okay," Sam said through clenched teeth. So close but as always his life pulled him oh so far.

The door slammed as Dean made his way down the stairs. "Why can't we just leave tomorrow after school," the teen asked. "I mean the poor little nerd has been waiting for this and it is so important to him."

John looked over at his eldest. "Look I'm not doing this to be mean or make some kind of statement. The hunt is tonight, I didn't make the cycle up I didn't create the rotation of the moon or everything else that goes into this situation and that all dictates tonight. I am sorry that Sammy will miss his trip but there is no other way."

"Sure there is, leave me here and we'll just wait for you to come back and get us," Dean suggested.

John was quiet a moment, "I thought about that but you could really learn a lot on this hunt and I can't waste this opportunity by leaving you here and before you ask no Sam cannot stay here by himself. Now we have a lot to get ready and because of that you can stay home from school and help me out."

"Really? Awesome," Dean answered forgetting about his brother's plight.

It seemed to Sam that Chris had been avoiding him all day. He couldn't blame he supposed but he hated that he lost his friend to something so silly. Sam watched the clock tick to 3:00 and the bell ring. He slowly got up and headed to his locker where he saw Chris waiting.

"Hey I just wanted to say I was sorry," Sam began.

"Sure whatever," Chris said breathlessly. "Look I was mad at you at yesterday but the more I thought about what you said the more I saw it was true. Last night my dad got home and started drinking, by bedtime he and my mom were fighting. He pushed her and he was going to hit her so I stepped in and he slapped me hard. Sam he has never ever been like that."

Sam looked sad and shocked feeling for his friend caught up in this disaster of unknown origin. "Okay well, I'll help you we can see if there is anything haunting your house, cause I think there is I found out more stuff on your house."

"Now what?" Chris asked.

"Well," Sam began as he slung his backpack over his shoulder as they made their way out the door, "the guy that killed the man in the bar with the bottle…he was killed in prison do you want to guess how?"

Chris swallowed and shook his head no.

"He was stabbed and bled to death that seems to be what ties all of it together, they all died due to exsanguination.

"How?"

"Fancy word for bleed to death," Sam said. "Come on let's get to your house."

John was pacing and with each step getting angrier and angrier. "I told him to be home right after school," he said grinding his teeth.

"Well maybe he had to stay after," Dean suggested.

"I already called the school and no teacher had him stay after. Do you know where he might go?"

Dean merely shook his head as helpless as his dad to Sam's whereabouts.

"See it's called an EMF detector and it measures ghost activity. I think this place is haunted and I think it was haunted before it was a bar and before then so it must be the land."

"So what do we do?" Chris asked relieved that the house was empty.

Sam stopped short as the EMF meter began to wave at him. "Umm we salt and burn the bones."

"What bones, whose bones?"

"Umm I don't know," Sam said realizing he hadn't taken anything into account as he was so focused on just staying in town.

"It feels weird in here," Chris commented. "Like somebody is really mad or something."

Sam's skin began to crawl as he realized they were probably in big trouble.

Dean heard the Impala drive up and the door slam. "No luck," he asked obviously knowing the answer.

"None, I go back and forth between anger and fear," John said checking his watch. "If we don't leave in the next hour or so we'll never make it. Dammit Sam!"

Dean stood thinking he had no idea what Sam could be involved in that would save him from Dad's wrath. If he was going to hide out until the trip he had to know that John would be at the school waiting for him and it would be no problem to drag him right out of there. "What's this Dad?" he asked pushing the papers around on the table that he had been looking at when John was out.

"A hunt here in town, that I was looking at. There is a house that used to be a bar, 4 deaths all tied to it and all by exsanguination."

"Hmm interesting," Dean said hoping that John didn't come completely unglued.

"I traced back to the 1800's, it was an old hotel that put up those passing through town. Times were kind of violent back then and it was the site of a few issues namely one involving a man and his daughter and her lover."

"We should leave Sam," Chris suggested.

"I'm with you, my dad will know what to do, if he can stay in town long enough," Sam said.

But as the duo headed for the door David walked in a fire in his eyes that Chris had never seen before. "Dad what brings you home?"

"Cause I knew you and your no good little friend would be here causing problems. Didn't you learn anything last night," he said stepping towards Chris.

Sam stepped in-between them surprising everybody. "Um sir we're not causing any problems we were just going to study."

"Oh were you now, well Chris was told not to have anybody come over," he yelled.

"So it says that the father John David Morrison found his daughter having relations with a forbidden man and he killed him," Dean said looking at the notes.

"Yeah John David ran the boarding house with his adult daughter Lucy, and one day a man came through and it didn't take long for John to get the gist of the possible connection so he sent the man on his way, but several months later he came back."

"And the inevitable happened?"

"Well I don't know if it was inevitable, but it did happen. This land was smack dab in the middle of an old prison camp from the civil war one that didn't treat its prisoners so well and maybe some of that hate and mistrust was still bubbling up to the surface. In any case John David walked in and killed his daughter."

"He killed his daughter, that seems ass backwards," Dean said surprised.

"According to the note he left behind he attempted to kill her lover but in the tangle of the bodies he pierced her heart and she bled to death in mere seconds. The object of her desire jumped up and ran but fell over her body and was stabbed by the unhappy father, at least that's what is said in John's suicide note."

"So he killed two people and is heartbroken he writes out a note and then kills himself?" Dean asked.

"Yep multiple stab wounds to the chest, trying for his heart I suppose. That was according to the old death records where is just listed as a stabbing. But in the logs of the town's history his note was published listing it as heartbreak gone wrong. Just remember that you often have to research several different places and ways to get all the answers," John couldn't resist reminding his eldest son.

Sam watched things go from bad to worse at Chris' house. "You know you little punks just think you know it all. Can't listen for nothing, disobedient to the end. All you had to do boy was just come home alone but could you do it? No, not even the simplest things. Sometimes Daddy just knows best but you all need a reason for everything, but you just have to understand that we know better and just do what we tell you to do. We know so many things that wouldn't even occur to you, we are seasoned veterans of life but can you understand that, can you abide by that; no and that leads to disobedience and then punishment," David was saying as he began to pull his belt from its loops.

Chris looked horrified, but as David got it free he sat down and laid it over his legs. He then pulled his pocket knife from his jeans and began to dig at his fingernails, this horrified Sam.

"You know boys it used to be easier. When my dad barked an order it was in my best interest to follow it or else, he would say. I knew what the or else was and I wasn't about to go there without good reason and you my boy," he indicated Chris, "have the silliest reason."

CLANG! The phone gave a resounding sound as Sam conked the man on the head with the nearby old fashioned phone. David fell over unconsciousness.

"What did you do that for?" Chris asked.

"Cause that's not your dad, I mean it is but he is like stuck in a loop or something. Somebody has taken control of him. We need help, I need to call my dad," Sam said pulling the handle off out of the cradle and trying to remember his most recent phone number.

"So do you think maybe Sammy found out about this and maybe went investigating in order to keep you here so he could go to the museum?" Dean asked.

"That's a reach, I doubt it. I don't know what he is doing."

"What are you going to do about the case," Dean asked as the phone rang.

"I know where John David's grave is, since it seemed to work through him I think burning his bones ought to take care of it. He is buried just outside of town. I just finally got everything put together and I planned on doing it when we got back," John said as he reached for the phone.

Dean watched as his dad's eyes got big. "Sammy start over again, talk slower I can't understand you. Okay just get your buddy and get out then."

"We need to leave," Sam shouted to Chris who was already at the door.

"It won't open," he cried out.

Sam dropped the phone found that the door and windows all seemed to be sealed.

"We can't Dad," he said into the crackling phone.

"Well tie him up and I'll take care of the rest," John shouted into the phone hoping Sam heard him as the phone connection seemed to be failing.

Of course, tie him up how could he be so stupid. He did have a lot to learn and maybe listening to John should be lesson number one. With the phone now useless he pulled the cord from the wall and with Chris' help tied up his father.

"Do you think he'll know why we're doing this?" Chris asked nervously.

"Well I can't say for sure but we don't have much of choice. Hand me his knife so we can hide it."

John explained everything to Dean on the way to the cemetery. "So I guess it couldn't wait then," Dean said.

"I think your brother hastened the whole thing."

"He has a way of pushing things doesn't he?"

"Why can't he just listen and do as he's told," John said turning the corner a little too fast.

"Hey we should probably tape his mouth too in case he wakes up I don't want him to scream," Sam said.

"We have duct tape in the kitchen drawer," Chris said looking as if he was going to cry.

Sam came back with the tape and saw Chris cradling the belt. He slapped a piece over the man's mouth and sat down next to his friend. "Has he ever?" Sam asked about the belt.

"Hmm, no, when I was like 5 and ran out into the street once he grabbed me and gave me a pretty mean spanking but I can't remember any other time. He was pretty laid back. But then for the most part I do what I'm told so he doesn't have much cause."

Sam thought about that and realized how much cause he gave his dad on a regular basis and then thought about what David had said in his speech about how sometimes adults are aware of so much more. John must hate him, and he deserved what was going to be coming to him when this was all over.

John and Dean dug like crazy men finally getting to their quarry grateful that the older part of the cemetery was somewhat isolated and that the sun was on its way down. They finally broke through the old wooden coffin and found the tormented remains. They salted and burned and watched the discord burn away.

David woke up and realized he was tied up and his mouth was taped shut, he fought and bucked against his restraints and had no idea what was going on. He saw his son and his friend look at him frightened of what was going on. He had no memory of anything but there but had better be a damn good reason.

Sam wanted to release Chris's father but wasn't sure if it was safe though the man's eyes looked more frightened than angry. He got up and went over and found that the front door opened and that John was pulling up to the curb. Thankfully he had heard the address before the phone connection got too bad. He wasn't sure what kind of mood his father was going to be in, but there was no going back now. John grabbed Sam and held him close hugging him tightly and asking if he was okay.

Dean had gone into the house and found Chris and his tied up father. He made short work of the binds and gently pulled the tape from his mouth. It took some time but they finally made the poor man understand what had happened.

Sam was exhausted as it was nearly ten by the time they got home. The answering machine was blinking madly at their return.

"I bet Dad has some not too happy people calling him," Dean said as he took off his coat.

"He's going to kill me," Sam said.

"Maybe, but you would deserve it, you accelerated this hunt and it caused who knows what to happen up north."

"Well they are a bit upset wondering where the hell I am. Hopefully everybody survives this," John said collapsing on the couch.

"It would be my fault if they don't," Sam said.

"Well I don't know about that, but you certainly didn't help the situation. I was looking into this haunting it was the whole reason we were here and I was doing it on a timetable that was fine. But you got everybody stirred up and well, we'll just have to see what the repercussions are. Sometimes you just have to listen Sammy whether you agree or not you just have to do what I say. The world is bigger than you or I and you can't be selfish."

Sam just hung his head and mumbled, "yes sir."

"Go to bed, we'll talk in the morning," John said slapping Sam on the leg as he got up.

"Okay," Sam said running off to his room.

"What are you going to do?" Dean asked.

"Sleep," John said yawning. "Beyond that none of your business."

"Well I know what would happen to me."

"Do you now and what would that be?"

"Worse than what he will get," Dean offered.

"I'm glad you got it all figured it out son. You need to head to bed too."

Dean wasn't sure how to feel cause he was only guessing. It seemed to him that Sam got off easier than he ever did, but then he thought maybe that's how Sam felt about him. Dean often wondered how two totally opposite people could be so closely related.

The next morning Sam just sat chewing his breakfast for an extended amount of time. Nothing had been said beyond good morning and the air was heavy. Sam knew what part of his punishment would be and John knew that Sam knew but it had officially remained unsaid. It broke John's heart but it had to be done, Sam had to understand the consequences to his actions, very nearly dangerous actions. He wasn't stupid he saw how with each month the boy aged the more he pulled from him and their lifestyle. Sometimes it was said sometimes it didn't have to be but it always hung in the air and there was no refuting it. John saw very difficult times ahead.

"I suppose I won't be going on my field trip," Sam finally volunteered.

"You suppose right," John confirmed. "I'm sorry but there is just no way I can allow it."

"I figured as much," Sam conceded.

"What will you do in school while everybody else is gone?"

"Stay behind in a study hall all day."

"I can call you in and you can start the rest of your punishment today," John offered.

"And what would that be?"

"An essay on the importance of research and discussing situations and then some heavy training."

"I guess I'll just start today then, how much training?"

"Until I'm satisfied," John said getting up to refill his coffee cup trying to gauge Sam's reaction.

Sam wanted to put his face in his cereal bowl and drown in the milk. Here he had tried everything to stay around for this day and had been successful only to still miss out. Did God hate him or just his father?


End file.
